BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -
Indiana (25-12) looks to stay hot in conference play this weekend when Minnesota (11-15) visits Sembower field for a three-game series. The Hoosiers are tied with Michigan State for the top spot in the Big Ten standigns, sitting at 6-3. The conference's preseason favorite, Minnesota, is off to a slow start with a 3-6 Big Ten mark.

After taking two of three from Iowa on the road last weekend, the Hoosiers kept the momentum rolling this week. Indiana scored a pair of non-conference victories on Tuesday and Wednesday, including a big win on the road against Midwest powerhouse Louisville.

The majority of Minnesota's offense has come in the form of junior infielders AJ Petterson and Nick O'Shea. Petterson's .368 average and 19 runs lead the team, while O'Shea's 17 RBI are also tops. LHP Phil Isaksson and RHP TJ Oakes have been solid on the mound, each with sub-3.85 ERAs in over 40 innings of work.

IU first baseman and all-time hit king, Jerrud Sabourin, is riding an eight-game hitting streak while the Hoosier pitching staff hasn't allowed more than three runs in a game since Apr. 10.

HOOSIER QUICK HITS
 IU is the only Big Ten school to win each of the first three conference series
 IU has allowed just five earned runs (7 total) in the last five games
 Sabourin is hitting .381 with two doubels in those same five games
 IU is 11-1 in games which they hit a homerun, 3-0 in multi HR contests

IN THE LAST GO-AROUND
The Hoosiers last faced Minnesota in the second round of the 2010 Big Ten Tournament. After winning a first round game against Northwestern, Indiana dropped a 10-8 decision against the Gophers, who would go on to take the conference crown.

Minnesota sank the Hoosiers early, with eight runs in the first two innings. A majority of that offense came from Kyle Knudson and Nick O'Shea, with three hits and three RBI apiece. The Gophers won two of three during the regular season series as well.

APRIL SHOWERS BRING HOOSIER FLOWERS
Since April 1 (the start of Big Ten season), the Hoosier pitching staff has been lights out. During the 13-game stretch, Indiana's team ERA is 2.68. A trio of Ryan Halstead (0.00), Drew Leininger (1.08) and Joey DeNato (1.15) each have sub-2.00 individual ERAs.

RECORD BOOK WATCHJerrud Sabourin became Indiana University's all-time Hit King on Apr. 17 when he recorded the 306th base knock of his career, surpassing the previous record holder Alex Smith (1982-86). Sabourin has started 210 consecutive games for the Cream and Crimson. Sabourin's 309 career hits entering the weekend is the second highest total in all of Division-I baseball among active players.

Alex Dickerson is closing in on an all-time school record of his own, just five hoemeruns shy of setting that all-time mark. Dickerson's 43 longballs are not only third in IU history but also slot him eighth nationally among active players. And remember, the junior has done so in less than three seasons.

A complete list of all-timer records in range of being broken can be found on page 10 of the game notes.

DENATO DAZZLES HIS WAY INTO THE RECORD BOOK
In the same game Jerrud Sabourin set the all-time hits record, freshman pitcher Joey DeNato wrote his named into the record books as well. His 11-strikeout performance against the Hawkeyes on Apr. 17 tied Eric Arnett (vs. Iowa, 4/11/09) and Brad Edwards (vs. Northwestern, 5/2/99) for the most strikeouts ever by a Hoosier in a Big Ten contest.

DICKERSON UP FOR NATIONAL AWARDSAlex Dickerson has been recognized by a pair of national organizations as a candidate for their national player of the year award. He was one of 50 players to be placed on USA Basbeall's Preseason Golden Spikes Award Watch List, the most prestigous award in collegiate baseball. A midseason watch list will be released in early May.

In addition, Dickerson was named one of 20 semifinalists this week for the `Premier Player of College Baseball,' a fan voted accolade presented by Premier Players, Inc.